Filing system.



SILAS EDGAR TROUT, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FILING SYSTEM.

Speceatioifof Letters Patent.

Patented May S, 191W.

Application led September 15, 1913. Serial No. 789,862.

y To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, Suns EDGAR TROUT, a

citizen of the United States, residing at i Philadelphia, in the `countyof Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Filing Systems, of whichv the 'following isaspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings.V

My invention comprises an improved filing system, by means of which, allof the correspondence, contracts, bills, invoices, notes, vouchers, orpaperof any description, which may accumulate in the conduct of anybusiness, can be classified and arranged so as to be easily located, andreadily accessible at all times.

In handling the` various matters to be filed away in a largeestablishment consisting of various departments, considerable difficultyis experiencedl in arranging' and storing papers and the like. Manysystems of al- 'y pliabetical, numerical, and combination symbols, inconjunction with card and the like indices have been tried, but thesehave frequently proven unsatisfactory.

The present invention contemplates as an obj ect, the provision of meansfor the identification and location of matters pertaining to a businessor the like, whereby they may be segregated and filed with reference toa special department thereof, a unit of such department, or sub-classesof such unit. Alphabetical and numerical subdivisions of these genericdivisions are coordinated 1 therewith in a manner calculated to avoidcomplicated indicia, and to minimize con-c fusion.

AA filing system following the principles of this invention makespossible the location and identification of any matter pertaining toabusiness or the like, when the data would indicate the particulardepartment `to which the matterwould naturally be referred: theparticular unit .of such depart- `ment: .the sub-classication of suchunit:`

the name of the sender: thedate of transmission: or the subject matter`of the correspondence. y

-I In conjunction `with the present system there is provided a recordfor estimating the manner in which the various departments handlematters referred thereto, and indicating the present location of anymatter which may be wanted. Cards are eliminated, as used in theordinary, sense when age as filed.

`In the drawings selected to illustrate the principles of my invention,and which are made a part hereof lFigure 1 is a front elevation of a setof files bearing identifications in accordance with anembodiment of myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective showing subdivisions of one of the fileboxes; and

Fig. 3 is a front elevation o-f a combined guide board and record usedwith the present system.

An embodiment of my invention in acy cordance with the principlesthereof herein illustrated, may be saidto comprise a series of filingdevices `ident-ined by arbitrarily selected symbols representingdepartments. With these there are cordinated arbitrarily selected`symbols representing units of said departments, both being shown on theoutside of the .devices in the present instance. The interior ofthedevice is subdivided into sub-classes of said units, each sub-classbeing identied by symbols representing the unit and sub-class of suchunit, disposed on suitable spacer or dividing.instrumentality, andbeingin turn alphabetically and numerically subdivided.

-As a component of the system a record is provided bymeans of which anyinformation relative to the matters contained in the filing device inwhich it islocated may be classified and arranged in digest form. In thepresent illustration, this record is shown as forming a part of one ofthe guide board or spacer members.

lReferring now specifically tothe drawing, there is illustrated in Fig.l, a set of filing devices numbered 1 to 6, inclusively. These may be ofany form, but preferably are provided with my improved insert boX 6',which has been made the Asubject of a separate ap plication for patent.t

Conveniently located upon each filing device there is provided a meansof identification comprising, in this instance, a primary symbol 7, asecondary symbol 8, connected-by. any suitable instrumentality, a hyphen9 being here shown.

These symbols are arbitrarily selected, it being the intention of thepresent system that the primary symbol, such as 7 shall designate thefirst generic division into departments, while the secondary symbol,such as 8, when connected to the symbol 7, as shown, will designate aunit of the depart-V ment. V

To bring out more clearly the practical application of this principle,it will be seen that the primary symbol on each of the liling devicesherein shown is the letter D. This, we will say is arbitrarily selectedto designate one of the large divisions under a municipal government,such as the department of public works. Vhen there appears a secondsymbol connected with the first in the manner here shown, it is intendedto designate the primary division of such department, or the unitthereof. Thus, the

secondary symbol Gr could be used to des-p.

ignate a bureau` of thisdepartment devoted to gas, the letter H tohighways, P to city property, L to lighting, S to` surveys, W to water,and the like. Hence, to one knowing the meaning of the symbols, it wouldbe readily apparent from an inspection of the identification means DS onthe boX shown in Fig. 2, that the contents of this receptacle relatedgenerically to the de-` partment of public works, and specifically,

` to the bureau thereunder devoted to surveys Under the system there arecontemplated' sub-classincations of the units, together withalphabetical and numerical subdivisions thereof. These are showninnoneAform in the filing device illustrated in Fig. 2.

`A series of guide boardsor spacer elements provided with identificationtabs 11, are disposed in the receptacle. Upon these tabs there is anidentification means comprising a primaryl symbol 13, preferably thesymbol corresponding to the unit symbol, and a secondary symbol 14,connected thereto suitably, as by a hyphen 1,5. Under each of thesesub-classifications there be an alphabetical subdivision designated bytabs 16, and a numerical subdivision, designated by tabs 17. While thesesubdivisions are shown as forming a part of the sub-classifications ofunits, it will be understood that the departments, units ofdepartments', and sub-classifications of units may allbe provided withalphabetical and numerical subdivisions as convenience or necessity mayde-` mand. P

Following the practical application of the system above referred to, thesymbolsy 13, and 14, joined as by the hyphen 15,- form an identificationmeans comprising the unit of department represented by Si, and thesilbclass of such unit, represented by the letter B. Thus B could bearbitrarily selected to represent the subclass of this departmentdevoted to bridges, Sto sewers, C

. to contracts, and the like. The alphabetical subdivisions illustratedby the tabs16 are for filing according to the initials of names ofsenders, or the like, while the numerical data :-A space 20 forthesubdivisions may be used for contracts, vouchers and the like.

To exemplify the workings of this system, should John Doe write a letterto the mayor of a city wherein this system is installed, and requestthat repairs be made to a certain bridge, the matter would be naturallyre' ferred to the department of public works. The file clerk wouldrecognize that matters pertaining to bridges; are handled by the bureauof this department devoted to surveys. File 5, shown in Fig. 2 bears thedepartment and unit of department required, and onf looking for theproper sub-classification of such u'nit, the tab bearing the sym bolS-Bl is the sub-class of this unit devoted to bridges, and the letter isfiled nativ rally under the alphabetic'alinitial D cor' responding tothe name.

In conjunction with this systeml there is provided a record, whichembodies in digest form all of the information relatingto the mattersfiled, that theeXigencies of the business may require. For convenienceof illustration it is here shown as forming a part of one of the guideboards, but it will be understood that it may be used separately asconvenience may demand.

In the present case, a guide or spacer 18 marked Record for purposesl ofidentiti` cation, is provided with a space 19 for the reception ofconsecutive numbers. y Each number space is in tarn provided with sub`divisions to accommodate the following reception of a symbolrepresenting a department; 21, representing a unit of such department; aspace 22 for the reception of the symbolsrepresentingsub-classifications of such unit; a space 23 for the initial of the`clerk handling the matter;` a space 24 for the reception of the date ofreceipt; 25" for the date answered; 26 forthe name of the sender; and 27for miscellaneous data, such as the name of the individual who may `havetaken the papers from the le that the numbers refer. .t0- t With thisrecord, each, matter' led is given a number Corresponding tethe numberon the record. Opposite vthis number there is then placed the symbolswhich will correspond Kwith the identification of thelocation of `thesepapers'l in the les. The nani@ of the party to whom the matter wasreferred, the ydate of receipt, the date an" swe'red, andthe name ofthesender are then inserted in the spaces allotted for this purpose, andthe matter is then filech` It is an easy" matter to locate it again,fas`the record shows itsy location at all times, even though it be withdrawnfor' temporary use.

From the foregoing a will be geen that i units, each being given anarbitrarily selected symbol, and identification and location of thesematters being made by the arrangement of these symbols either singly orcollectively, and With or Without alphabetical and numericalsubdivisions. It Will be understood, however, that While I haveexemplified its practical use as relating to a classification of thedepartments of a municipal government, this system is in no Way limitedto the particular use disclosed, nor are the symbols to be construed asincluding only those made use of in the present illustration, as manychanges in the selection and general arrangement of these symbols andrecord digest may be made Without departing from themain principles ofthe invention, or sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I claim is l. A filing system comprising filing elements carryingidentifying symbols representative 4of departmental divisions of filablematter; element-s carrying identifying symbols representative of unitsof said departments cordinating With said departmental symbols; elementscarrying identifying symbols representative of sub-classes of said unitsof departments; and spacer elements some carrying alphabetical and somenumerical symbols forming subdivisions of said sub-classes of units ofdepartmental divisions of the filable matter.

2. A filing system comprising a plurality of constitutive filingelements; certain of said elements carrying an identifying symbolrepresentative of a departmental division of the filable matter; certainothers of said elements carrying an identication symbol representativeof a unit of said departmental division said symbols cordinating withsaid departmental symbols; certain others of said elements carrying anidentification symbol representative of sub-classes of said unit ofdepartmental division; and spacer elements some carrying alphabeticaland some numerical symbols subdividing said sub-classes of said unit ofdepartmental division of the filable matter.

3. A filing system comprising a plurality of constitutive elementscarrying cordinated symbols representative of departmental, unit ofdepartmental, and sub-classes of said unit of departmental divisions ofthe filable matter; and a series of spacer elements some carryingalphabetical and some numerical symbols adapted When aggrouped toclassify filable matter into departments, units of departments,sub-classes of units, and alphabetical and numerical subdivisions ofsaid divisions.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

SILAS EDGAR TROUT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

